Introduction

Each student in this country deserves an equitable education where they have access to unlimited resources and opportunities. Often, low-income students and students of color are at a disadvantage when it comes to access opportunities (American Psychological Association, 2017). This has been the reality for my students. Due to racial, linguistic and financial barriers, they are unable to participate in activities that grant them academic achievement and success. The Glossary of Education Reform (n.d.) says that increasing access for students "requires schools to provide additional services or remove any actual or potential barriers that might prevent some students from equitable participation in certain courses or academic programs" (para. 1). The opportunities outlined in this section demonstrate my efforts to promote student access. I created opportunities that expanded students' horizons, exposed them to new experiences, and enabled personal and academic growth. These experiences ultimately exposed students and families to people, programs, resources, and connections that will open doors for them.

Access Opportunity #1: YMCA Camp Campbell

YMCA Camp Campbell is an overnight science camp that is run year-round for students in the Bay area. It is located in Boulder Creek California. Boulder Creek is located one hour south of San Jose, California where my students live. At Camp Campbell, students have the opportunity to engage in science activities that include observing wildlife, classifying plant species, interacting with animals, and participating in other outdoor activities. In the spring semester, I went to Camp Campbell with my students for four days and three nights.

I sought out and facilitated this opportunity for my students because it is a unique hands-on experience. My class last year was primarily made up of Latinx students, many from families of immigrants. The opportunity to attend a school like NAME Elementary and receive a high-quality bilingual education was already an accomplishment for many of them because several of their parents and other family members had not finished (or started) formal schooling. Therefore, the opportunity to attend Camp Campbell exposed my students to people, programs, and resources they would not have had otherwise. This required me to do extensive research to ensure that the experience was accessible for all students. I encouraged students to take advantage of this opportunity through fundraising, science instruction, and relationship building with families.

For nearly all of my fifth graders, this was their first experience spending a significant amount of time away from their families and homes. At Camp Campbell, students are able to partake in certain activities for the first time in their lives which expands their worldview and opens their eyes to the endless possibilities in the world. Instead of learning text book science in the classroom, students are immersed in an environment where they are able to interact with what they are learning. Students can utilize the camp's resources, the counselors' knowledge and the programs' activities to open doors for themselves. I facilitated this opportunity to expose students to the potential future careers as scientists, engineers, botanists, etc. Only so much can be learned within the four walls of the classroom.

Before the Trip: Research and Planning

Camp Campbell is not a free opportunity for students. It costs over $300 dollars for one student to attend. This was unaffordable for the majority of students and when faced with this number, many felt they would be unable to attend. I wanted to remove the financial barrier to make it accessible so students were able to take full advantage of Camp Campbell.

In order to connect students with this opportunity, I researched ways in which we could gather money for students. I developed a series of fundraising events with the fifth grade team namely candy bar sales, walkathon, movie night and Fall Festival. I took the initiative to organize and lead the Fall Festival fundraiser for fifth grade students. Fall Festival is a space where students can decorate pumpkins and play games. However, to use it as an opportunity to raise money for my fifth graders, we sold homemade and store bought food to visitors at the festival. My students' families brought their cultural background and traditions to the festival by preparing meals. The proceeds from this helped open the door to Science Camp.

The following artifacts and evidence illustrate a variety of steps that I took and documents I made to guarantee that science camp was successfully planned and enough money was raised to allow each student to participate in the experience.

During the Trip: Accessing the Opportunity

The experience at Camp Campbell was incredible! Once we arrived on site, students took full advantage of science camp. Because we had worked extremely hard throughout the school year to fundraise and learn about what Camp Campbell would entail, students were eager to fully utilize every resource available to them. They met students from across the Bay area and camp counselors with many different backgrounds and knowledge. The opportunities to learn were endless.

Families were sad to say goodbye to their student for the first time in their lives, but also grateful for the exposure to such a rich experience. Students had the opportunity to engage in activities they had never done before. For instance, students held snakes and tarantulas. Many of my students had of course, read about these animals in books or seen them in movies, but had never experienced them in real life. Being in such close contact with these animals allowed students to recognize the potential that their futures hold. Several students told me they wanted to study reptiles or be veterinarians after seeing these animals up close and holding them. Students would not have imagined these possibilities without the real life experience that camp provided.

Some students swam and hiked for the first time. One evening, we went on a night hike at sunset. I joined a small group of students for this activity. I was able to witness the excitement in each students' eyes as we stopped at various trees to discuss what we saw, smelled, and heard. As we stood in complete darkness, students learned about the various plants we could smell and animals we could hear. As I listened to students describe their experience throughout the night walk, I witnessed science camp transform from an idea in the four walls of my classroom to a reality of endless future opportunities. Students navigated the experience with minimal guidance from me and responded with genuine curiosity and wonder. At the end of the night walk, one student shared with me that he wanted to study plants once he got to college because he didn't realize their complexity.

After the Trip

When we returned to school after nearly a week at Camp Campbell, students expressed that the camp's ending was bittersweet. They were happy to be reunited with their family, but disappointed that camp was over. I told them that even though science camp had ended, their journeys to becoming scientists were just beginning. Our four days at Camp Campbell was the start of endless possibilities ahead for them. Some of the students' favorite activities were swimming, hiking, spending time with animals in the animal sanctuary, and building community with their classmates and students from other schools. Students thanked me for organizing the opportunity to go to science camp. They expressed that following the camp experience, they had a clearer idea of what skills they wanted to further develop and opportunities they planned to seek.

Student reflection

Below is a student reflection on her time during science camp. It is evident that she experienced certain activities for the first time and is able to describe the value of this opportunity. She learned about teamwork which impacted her because she is an only child. This is an experience that she would not have had otherwise. The four hour hike was also something new for her as she describes that nothing can compare to it. She saw a variety of insects and plants. She even wants to return to the camp as a counselor to give students the same opportunity that she had.

Conclusion

Facilitating this year long experience for my students was extremely gratifying. Though the information nights, the planning, fundraising, and four days at camp required that I devote a significant amount of time outside of my work hours, the lasting impact on my students made it worth the effort. They were exposed to new people with a wide range of expertise. Some camp counselors were scientists and others were devout nature lovers. Students also had exposure to activities that they had never done before . They were not passive participants but rather active navigators during each opportunity. Students returned to the classroom curious with new interests and goals. Several were disappointed when it was time to leave camp but were excited to continue their exploration of science.

Access Opportunity #2: Shawn's Window Read Aloud

Before the Read Aloud: Research and Planning

During the Read Aloud

At the end of the read aloud students' hands shot up to ask questions. Students asked about Perdue's plans for the book moving forward, how he had come up with the idea, and if he was born an author. While listening to Perdue's responses, students were able to envision a possible career opportunity for themselves in the future. Their eager inquiry transformed the lesson into an open door to many possibilities.

After the Read Aloud

After this experience, students were focused on sharing their gifts with one another. They had acquired an understanding that their gifts, skills, and abilities could open doors for them and grant them access to new opportunities in the same way that it did for William Perdue.

Following the read aloud, students were asked, "If you were an author, what would your book be about?" Students had to draw the cover and title the book. Through this activity, students had time to reflect on and identify their gifts or special qualities. This was a small glimpse of the possibilities their futures may hold.

Conclusion

William Perdue's visit to my class was an opportunity for my class that would not have happened without my initiatives. I believe that there will be few opportunities in my students' lives to meet published authors. His read aloud to my class did several things for my students. It exposed them to a professional who has a similar background to them. Perdue's presence in my classroom made the experience engaging for students. The opportunity also encouraged students to explore a path they had not considered before. There are a variety of possible careers and aspirations for their futures. Perdue highlighted they should continue to practice their skills and develop their gifts in order to accomplish their goals. His visit also reassured students that we all learn in different ways. It is important that students feel confident in their ability to learn independent of how they do it.

Family Engagement Beyond Traditional Interactions: Literacy Night

Family Literacy Night was an opportunity for families to attend a Zoom session on second grade literacy. It was also an opportunity to strengthen family partnerships. At the beginning of the school year, I conducted virtual home visits with each family in my class to introduce myself and get to know them. This was the beginning of an ongoing relationship. In order to have families actively engage in the learning environment, I offered literacy night as a way for families to connect to their student's classroom.

During literacy night, my grade level partner and I covered topics such as Common Core State Standards, foundational skills for phonics, foundational skills for reading comprehension and strategies that families can use at home to support their student's learning. The knowledge and tools introduced during our session gave families the skills needed to support their students in a meaningful way. It gives families the opportunity to partake in the learning environment beyond traditional interactions such as donating an item to the class or parent-teacher conferences.

Before Literacy Night: Research and Planning

My grade level partner and I decided that conducting a family literacy night would best support our students academically. After assessing students with STEP at the beginning of the year, I only had three students of 28 who were reading at grade level. Additionally, COVID-19 presented many barriers for student academic growth during the spring of last year and I did not want that to be the case for the 2020-2021 school year. Including families in their students' reading development is a key component of student growth. The partnerships developed with families can have a deep impact on students because it ensures they receive support in the classroom and at home. It also gives students consistency and regular support.

During Literacy Night

During the session, one parent shared that she was grateful for the information presented. She then acknowledged that she had been helping her child with phonics using clapping. However, we use tapping in school. She shared that her daughter was confused when she attempted to support her using a different method. Now that she attended the session, she knows what tapping is and how to use it to support her daughter. I imagine it was difficult for this student to learn one way in class and another way at home with her mother. Having family literacy night supported this parent's active engagement in her student's learning. It also helped strengthen the relationship that I have with her.

After Literacy Night

Concluding family literacy night, my grade level partner and I sent out a survey to the parents who attended. We wanted to find out if they found the session useful and what changes they wanted to see in the future. Based on parent responses, it was clear they found the information helpful and felt better equipped to support their student in their literacy development. They also communicated they wanted to have sessions on math, writing, and distance learning. Parents were eager to strengthen our partnership and be actively engaged in the classroom.

Long-Term Family Engagement Plan

Below is a long-term plan for engaging families throughout the school year that I developed with other candidates in the Masters program. It has activities and steps to engage families for each month of the school year. Following the instructions outlined in the plan will help promote collaboration between families and teachers and help families be actively engaged in the school community. This is essential for student growth and investment. Some of the activities outlined are Back To School school night, family fitness night, and volunteer programs.

Please note that the months of October and November are missing from the engagement plan. The group member responsible for these months dropped the class.

Reflection

The three experiences highlighted in this section opened doors for my students and placed resources at their fingertips that would not have been otherwise available.

Camp Campbell allowed students to partake in new adventures outside the classroom setting. Though we were only an hour away from our school location, students felt they were a world away. At the end of each school year, I ask students to write a letter to the incoming fifth grade, telling them the best parts of fifth grade and what they need to know to be successful. The majority of my students stated that science camp was their favorite part because it was interactive, engaging, and eye-opening. Had I not planned the Fall Festival, assisted with other fundraisers, communicated with families in English and Spanish, and attended camp, this experience would not have been possible for my students. All of the moving puzzle pieces came together to give students a truly incredible experience that helped bridge gaps, leveled the playing field for all students, and exposed them to a wider world. Students are now better equipped to navigate these types of opportunities to take full advantage of its benefits.

The Shawn's Window read aloud exposed students to an established, professional author with a similar background. Not only did it make them aware of differences in learning styles, it also informed them of the possibility of being an author in the future. Author William Perdue emphasized the importance of using and developing their unique gifts to create new opportunities for themselves.

Literacy Night had a similar affect on my students. Seeing families engaged in and committed to their students' growth was inspiring. During the session, I communicated to parents that it is important for us to work smarter, not harder. I also expressed that the smartest way to work is in collaboration with each other and with aligned goals. When families are engaged and active participants in their student's education, student access opportunities are promoted in the long-term. Though a student may not be at grade level by the end of this year, I am more assured that students have many people on their side supporting them.

As stated above, access requires me to remove barriers and provide new opportunities for my students. I was able to do this for my students through these activities. Each one makes it more possible for them to receive an equitable education and one day be part of the greater global society.